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9. A. The three speeds listed for CD-RW drives stand for write, rewrite, and read.

10. B. The MPEG-2 standard covers DVD-ROM technology (among other things).

CHAPTER 14

Installing and Upgrading Windows

In this chapter, you will learn how to

Identify and implement pre-installation tasks

Install and upgrade Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Vista

Troubleshoot installation problems

Identify and implement post-installation tasks

Explain the structures created during the installation process

An operating system (OS) provides the fundamental link between the user and the hardware that makes up the PC. Without an operating system, all of the greatest, slickest PC hardware in the world is but so much copper, silicon, and gold wrapped up as a big, beige paperweight (or, if you’re a teenaged boy, a big, gleaming, black paperweight with a window and glowing fluorescent lights, possibly shaped like a robot). The operating system creates the interface between human and machine, enabling you to unleash the astonishing power locked up in the sophisticated electronics of the PC to create amazing pictures, games, documents, business tools, medical miracles, and much more.

This chapter takes you through the processes for installing and upgrading Windows. It starts by analyzing the pre-installation tasks, steps not to be skipped by the wise tech. The bulk of the chapter comes in the second section, where you’ll learn about installing and upgrading Windows 2000, XP, and Vista. Not all installations go smoothly, so Section three looks at troubleshooting installation issues. Section four walks you through the typical post-installation tasks. The chapter finishes by examining what you’ve created in the installation process, such as where the various operating system (OS) files reside and how they interact to create a seamlessly booting new installation of Windows.

Essentials/Practical Application

Preparing for Installation or Upgrade

Installing or upgrading an OS is like any good story: it has a beginning, a middle, and an end. In this case, the beginning is the several tasks you need to do before you actually do the installation or upgrade. If you do your homework here, the installation process is a breeze, and the post-installation tasks are minimal.

EXAM TIP The CompTIA A+ exams don’t test you directly on the basics of installation, but you need to understand installation and installation troubleshooting to understand the types of questions you’ll be asked on both exams.

Don’t get discouraged at all of the preparation tasks. They usually go pretty fast, and skipping them can cause you gobs of grief later when you’re in the middle of installing and things blow up. Well, maybe there isn’t a real explosion, but the computer might lock up and refuse to boot into anything usable. With that in mind, look at the nine tasks you need to complete before you insert that CD or DVD. Here’s the list; discussion follows.

1. Identify hardware requirements.

2. Verify hardware and software compatibility.

3. Decide what type of installation to perform.

4. Determine how to back up and restore existing data, if necessary.

5. Select an installation method.

6. Determine how to partition the hard drive and what file system to use.

7. Determine your computer’s network role.

8. Decide on your computer’s language and locale settings.

9. Plan for post-installation tasks.

Identify Hardware Requirements

Hardware requirements help you decide whether a computer system is a reasonable host for a particular operating system. Requirements include the CPU model, the amount of RAM, the amount of free hard disk space, and the video adapter, display, and storage devices that may be required to install and run the operating system. They are stated as minimums or, more recently, as recommended minimums. Although you could install an operating system on a computer with the old minimums that Microsoft published, they were not realistic if you wanted to actually accomplish work. With the last